“This major exhibition of recent American art by relatively unknown artist from both New York City and other parts of the country combined two series that have been presented at the Museum on a regular basis. New Work/New York features work by seven unaffiliated artist whose works had not been seen here in any significant manner.

-From The New Museum Annual Report, 1981-1984

"It is our hope that by merging New Work/New York, previously featuring work by unaffiliated artists from the metropolitan area, with Outside New York, which focused exclusively on art from beyond our own region, we can provide a more complete overview of work being made today. It is partially due to our new, expanded exhibition space that we are thus able to unite New York with the rest of the nation in order to present exciting work that has not yet received significant exposure here."

-Lynn Gumpert and Ned Rifkin, New Work: New York/Outside New York catalogue.